關注社會:耐克提價 轉嫁成本上漲
Nike Inc. is raising the prices of its sneakers, assuming that the brand's cachet will carry it through a period when many of its shoppers are scrounging for discounts.
耐克(Nike Inc.)將上調其運動鞋售價，希望其品牌聲譽能使它挺過一段很多消費者都在討要折扣的時期。As labor, materials and shipping costs increase, Nike is raising shoe and clothing prices by 5% to 10%, analysts say. A test of the approach comes this fall, when Nike will debut its priciest sneaker yet-an expected $315 LeBron James basketball shoe that includes its own electronics.
分析師說，隨着勞動力、原材料和運輸成本增加，耐克將把其鞋子和衣服的價格上調5%到10%。這一方針將在今年秋季、耐克推出迄今最昂貴運動鞋的時候接受檢驗。這款運動鞋是預計售價315美元、本身含有電子元件的“勒布朗•詹姆斯”(LeBron James)籃球鞋。The price leaps come after Nike's gross margins dropped to 42.8% from 44.3% in its most recent quarter ending May 31, the sixth-straight year-to-year quarterly decline. Nike's margins are now lower than most of its direct competitors, rival Adidas AG 0.00% and apparel maker Under Armour Inc.
漲價之前，耐克在截至5月31日最新一個財季的毛利潤率從44.3%降至42.8%，這已經是連續第六個季度呈同比下降。目前耐克利潤率低於多數直接競爭對手，高於阿迪達斯(Adidas AG)和服裝生產商Under Armour Inc.。
The price increases, from a company whose trendy footwear sometimes generates long lines of avid buyers, may test even the most dedicated Nike fans.
時髦的耐克鞋子有時會吸引翹首以待的消費者排隊購買，然而面對這次提價，即便是最忠實的耐克粉絲恐怕也要接受考驗。'Prices are getting crazy excessive and as long as we continue to buy sneakers, Nike is going to keep increasing the prices,' said Donell Brown, 30, who owns a cleaning services company in Dearborn, Mich.
30歲的唐奈爾•布朗(Donell Brown)在密歇根州迪爾伯恩開有一家清潔服務公司。他說，價格漲得太高了，只要我們不斷買運動鞋，耐克就會不斷漲價。Mr. Brown said he and his friends have been posting messages on Twitter and YouTube, urging other longtime sneaker fans not to buy the pricier LeBron shoes and to forgo waiting in line for new sneaker releases.
布朗說，他和朋友一直在推特(Twitter)和YouTube上發帖，勸告其他長期愛好運動鞋的人們不要購買價格更高的“勒布朗”鞋子，別再排隊等候新款運動鞋發佈。Nike's price increases are also being felt at the lower end: The venerable Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star sneaker now costs $50 compared with $45 a year ago.
耐克的提價也體現在低端產品上。經久不衰的“匡威查克•泰勒全明星”(Converse Chuck Taylor All-Star)運動鞋現在售價爲50美元，高於一年前的45美元。Nike is known for some pricey shoes, going back to its first pair of Air Jordans. A new version of the Air Jordan is expected in December at $185, up from its original 1985 price of $64.99 (or $138.38 in today's dollars), a 33% increase when adjusted for inflation.
從第一雙“飛人喬丹”(Air Jordan)開始，耐克就以某些鞋子售價高昂而聞名。“飛人喬丹”系列預計將在今年12月推出新版，售價185美元。相比1985年最開始64.99美元（以今天美元幣值計算爲138.38美元）的售價，經通脹因素調整後上漲了33%。Nike is 'not arbitrarily taking up prices,' said spokeswoman Mary Remuzzi. 'We are constantly looking at ways to enhance the product line with new innovation and product attributes.'
耐克發言人Mary Remuzzi說，耐克不是在盲目地漲價；我們總是在想方設法地利用新的創新和產品性能實現產品系列的提升。The coming $315 LeBron X Nike Plus, due in the fall, is expected to come embedded with motion sensors that can measure how high players jump. The LeBron 9 PS Elite basketball shoes, which currently retail for $250, feature Nike's signature swoosh in metallic gold.
今秋登場的315美元的“LeBron X Nike Plus”預計會內置能夠測量運動員跳躍高度的動作感應器。在目前零售價250美元的“LeBron 9 PS Elite”籃球鞋上，耐克標誌性的鉤形標識是用金色印製的。Nike, based in Beaverton, Ore., says it is passing along price increases because many of key materials, such as cotton, have risen in price over the past 18 months. Prices did moderate somewhat in the past quarter.
總部位於俄勒岡州比弗頓的耐克表示，它是在傳遞物價的上漲，因爲在過去18個月，棉花等許多關鍵原材料的價格已經上漲。過去一個季度的價格倒是有所冷卻。Nike also faces rising labor costs in China, where it manufactures a third of its products.
耐克還面臨着中國勞動力成本的上升。它有三分之一的產品都是在中國生產。The company's shares, which have soared since the recession as it continued to report solid growth, plunged 10% in June after it reported profit dropped nearly 8% from a year earlier to $549 million, or $1.17 a share. Shares closed at $95.77 on Monday and are now flat for the year after hitting an all-time high of $114.81 on May 3.
自經濟衰退以來，隨着耐克持續報告不俗的業績增長，其股價一度飆升。但在今年6月份，由於它報告利潤同比下滑近8%，至5.49億美元（合每股1.17美元），其股價下跌了10%。該股週一收於95.77美元，繼5月3日創下歷史新高的114.81美元之後，目前較年初水平持平。
